Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Special Protection Areas: Licensing

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the statutory guidance entitled GL43: licence to release common pheasants or red-legged partridges on certain European sites or within 500m of their boundary published on 31 May 2023, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of that statutory guidance on (a) gamekeepers' jobs, (b) the rural economy and (c) conservation.

Trudy Harrison: The Government supports gamebird shooting for all the benefits it brings to individuals, the environment and the rural economy. The Government wants to see a vibrant working countryside that is enhanced by a biodiverse environment. We recognise the valuable role gamekeepers play in protecting and enhancing biodiversity through habitat management and predation control and we support the valuable role shooting provides to the rural economy. We monitor the impacts of many different rural businesses have on the rural economy and factor that into decision making whenever possible. We recognise the challenges that avian influenza presents and are considering how we can mitigate the impact on the shooting interests and the wider community.

Home Office

Asylum: Sudan

Colum Eastwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an estimate of the number of people living in Foyle constituency that have left Sudan due to conflict; and what steps he is taking to provide (a) safe migration routes and (b) asylum to people from Sudan.

Robert Jenrick: Asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants are free to move within the UK, and not all people seeking protection here are escaping conflict and it is not possible to make an accurate estimate.The UK has a proud history of supporting refugees and providing protection to those in need. Since 2015, we have offered a place to over half a million individuals seeking safety in the UK.The UK continues to welcome refugees through our existing resettlement schemes which include the global UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and the Mandate Resettlement Scheme. While our safe and legal routes are some of the most generous anywhere, we cannot accommodate everyone who wants to come to the UK.The UK has no plans to establish a designated resettlement scheme for Sudanese refugees. We will however continue to provide safe and legal routes to the UK for those that require it. There is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach which is the fastest route to safety.

Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the National Crime Agency has made an estimate of the percentage of online content promoting illegal migrant Channel crossings appearing on (a) Facebook, (b) WhatsApp, (c) Instagram, (d) Telegram, (e) TikTok, (f) Twitter and (g) Snapchat.

Robert Jenrick: The NCA does not hold information on the percentages of online content promoting illegal migrant Channel crossings appearing social media platforms. The Government works closely with social media companies in the UK to target and remove Organised Immigration Crime related content online. Since September 2021, 3,400 posts, pages or accounts advertising organised immigration crime services have been removed from a range of social media platforms.

Asylum: Applications

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department considers character statements submitted alongside asylum claim questionnaires.

Robert Jenrick: Detailed Home Office policy guidance provides a framework for considering asylum claims and all caseworkers receive the necessary training and mentoring support before making such decisions. Each case is considered on its individual merits. Our guidance for considering asylum claims is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/considering-asylum-claims-and-assessing-credibility-instruction.

Refugees: Safety

Colum Eastwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plan to take steps to ensure the safety and well-being of refugees undertaking (a) channel crossings and (b) land journeys; and what steps she is taking to help refugees arriving in Northern Ireland.

Robert Jenrick: The UK has a proud history of providing sanctuary through our resettlement schemes, with around half a million having used our global and country-specific routes since 2015.Our safe and legal routes for recognised refugees mean that they are resettled directly from conflict zones as opposed to safe countries like France, avoiding the need to take dangerous journeys. The level of support they are provided with depends on the resettlement route they arrive on, rather than the location into which they are resettled.

Visas: Africa

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2023 to Question 188517 on Visas: Africa, what mechanisms her Department has for identifying individuals coming to the UK for the purposes of scientific research.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office requires all those coming to the UK who need a visa to complete a visa application form which contains questions around an applicant’s intentions whilst in the UK. Applicants would use these questions to explain the purpose of their stay which would include scientific research, usually either via a sponsored work migration route or as a visitor. Each case is then assessed on its merits by a trained entry clearance officer. However, the reasons for travel to the UK are not routinely collated as part of the Government’s regular migration statistics.

Visas: Foreign Investment in UK

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June to Question 188255 on Visas: Foreign Investment in UK, what the poor economic outcomes of the tier 1 investor visa scheme were.

Robert Jenrick: The Migration Advisory Committee’s 2014 inquiry found that it had marginal economic benefits to the UK economy, and there is little evidence.

Asylum: Climate Change

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department accepts asylum applications on the grounds that a country is affected by climate change.

Robert Jenrick: Refugee status is granted when someone has a well-founded fear of persecution under the Refugee Convention for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion

Department for Education

Department for Education: Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, which of her Department’s commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.

Claire Coutinho: I refer the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford to the answer of 21 June 2023 to Question 189780.

Special Educational Needs

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of services available for SEND children of school age.

Claire Coutinho: The department published the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan in March 2023, in which we set out our plans to improve the SEND and AP system. The Plan includes the steps we are taking to strengthen accountability across the system to improve the quality of services for children with SEND and in AP. This includes the new Ofsted and Care Quality Commission Area SEND Inspection Framework, the emphasis on SEND pupils in the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, and the local and national inclusion dashboards launching later this year, which will give parents the opportunity to monitor the performance of their local SEND and AP system.

Special Educational Needs

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will help ensure that local authorities within Education Investment Areas ensure that Education, Health and Care plan assessments occur within the statutory deadline.

Claire Coutinho: In Education Investment Areas (EIAs) the department is taking steps to support underperforming schools to make the necessary improvements, build trust capacity and improve digital connectivity. Ensuring the right support is available for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is important to the success of EIAs. The local authority must complete the whole Education, Health and Care plan process as soon as practicable, and in any event, within 20 weeks of the local authority receiving a request for an EHC needs assessment.In addition, the department is strengthening accountability across the system. The department has a range of interventions that can be utilised to bring about rapid improvement. These include the use of Improvement Notices, Statutory Directions, and the appointment of SEND Commissioners. The department’s Ofsted and Care Quality Commission joint area SEND inspection activity commenced in January 2023.

Special Educational Needs

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children have received an Education, Health and Care plan from their local authority in the last 12 months.

Claire Coutinho: The requested information is available in the National Statistics publication on Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans. The latest available data shows 66,400 new EHC plans were made across the 152 local authorities in England during the 2022 calendar year.

Basic Skills: Primary Education

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on the aim of 90 per cent of primary school children in England achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2.

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on the aim of increasing the average GCSE grade at Key Stage 4 in English language and maths from 4.5 to 5.

Nick Gibb: The Government is committed to improving outcomes for all pupils. The Government has successfully driven up standards over the past decade. In 2010, only 68% of schools were rated good or outstanding, compared to 88% today.Primary aged children in England came 4th out of the 43 countries in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, with an average score of 558. This was significantly above the International Median of 520 and significantly higher than all countries except for Singapore, Hong Kong and Russia.Alongside this international picture, the Department continues to deliver the proposals set out in the Schools White Paper, including the headline attainment ambitions for 2030. These include 90% of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 2, and the average grade in GCSE English language and mathematics increasing from 4.5 to 5. Since publishing the White Paper, the Department has worked to deliver its commitments and has made progress towards the headline ambitions for 2030. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has affected pupils, the Department is taking robust action to drive up attainment, with evidence showing progress is being made.At Key Stage 2 in the 2021/22 academic year, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics (combined) decreased compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 at both the expected and higher standard. Despite this, recent data from the Education Policy Institute and Rising Stars/Hodder Education shows that for primary age pupils, most year groups have either caught up in English and mathematics or are now on average 1 to 1.5 months behind pre-pandemic levels. This contrasts with studies conducted during the pandemic where learning loss in reading and mathematics was typically estimated to have peaked at around 2.5 to 3.5 months for primary age pupils.At Key Stage 4 in the 2021/22 academic year, 49.8% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or higher in both English and mathematics. This is an increase of 6.6 percentage points (from 43.2%) in comparison with 2018/19.The Department continues to deliver ambitious multiyear education recovery funding. This has provided almost £5 billion for teachers, staff training, tutoring and additional teaching time, as well as providing funding directly to schools. It is targeted especially at those that need the most help the most quickly. This funding is making a difference in helping pupils to catch up, with over 3 million courses started through the National Tutoring Programme since it began in November 2020. We can see that recovery is taking place, but we know that there is more to do.

Childcare

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to commence the trailblazer programme for wraparound childcare providers.

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) improve the provision of school aged childcare and (b) help provide childcare for parents to return to the workforce.

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an estimate of the number of parents who are not in employment due to an inability to access to school aged childcare.

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of childcare providers on school aged childcare.

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help school aged childcare providers (a) attract and (b) retain a skilled and qualified workforce.

Claire Coutinho: The government is investing £289 million in a new wraparound childcare ‘pathfinder’ scheme to support local authorities to work with primary schools and private providers to set up and deliver wraparound childcare before and after school. This is the first step in the government’s ambition for all parents of primary school children who need it to access childcare in their local area from 8am to 6pm. Successfully meeting this objective will go some way in ensuring that parents have enough childcare to work full time, more hours, and with flexible hours.The investment will also support local authorities to test flexible options of providing school aged childcare, for example exploring models such as partnerships between schools and working with private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers, to deliver wraparound childcare that is self-financing and sustainable in the longer term.The department will work with local authorities, schools, and PVI providers over the next few months to ensure that this programme is designed to meet the needs of parents, and to ensure that the right support is in place for schools and providers. To meet the ambition of the pathfinder, we are working with a small group of local authorities in a co-design process, to build our understanding of the challenges around supply and demand, recruitment and retention, and other operational considerations. This will be a collaborative process to co-design the programme, with additional input from private providers, parents, and others in the sector. We will be looking to support some local authorities to roll out the programme earlier than September 2024, where they are able to. Local authorities who participate in the co-design process may find themselves more able to roll out sooner than they would otherwise be able to.The department understands that many parents work fewer hours, even when their children are of school age. A key barrier is the availability of wraparound childcare, with only 64% of primary schools currently offering childcare at both ends of the day. The availability of wraparound childcare differs between schools and local authorities. This means that although there is some excellent provision, whether delivered by schools or by PVI providers, not all families are receiving the support they need to enable them to work. In 2021, 40% of non-working mothers with primary age children said that if they could arrange good quality childcare that was convenient, reliable, and affordable, they would prefer to work. Increasing the availability of wraparound childcare for parents will help ensure that working parents do not have to reduce their hours due to their caring responsibilities. Working families can continue to access support with childcare costs through Tax Free Childcare, worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities, and the childcare element for Universal Credit for children up to age 16.Many schools already work successfully in partnership with PVI providers to deliver wraparound childcare to the school community. Officials are engaging with schools and wraparound childcare providers to understand what support they will require to deliver sustainable wraparound childcare. Officials are also working across government to ensure that the pathfinder scheme complements and supports existing work where schools provide out of hours activities. Senior officials are in regular discussions with representatives from the Local Government Association, local authorities, schools, and PVI providers through the Wraparound Programme Steering Group, helping the department better understand sector-specific challenges.We recognise that recruitment and retention remain key challenges for schools and private providers. Supporting this workforce continues to be a priority for the department. We are working proactively with the sector and other government departments to build our understanding of the situation and how we might support in this area. That is why this funding is designed to support local authorities to work with schools and private providers to test different approaches and identify what works best for them. The pathfinder will include a robust evaluation to ensure we gather as much evidence and information as possible about the barriers and challenges the sector has in delivering wraparound childcare, and what support and funding the sector needs to deliver provision that is sustainable and accessible to all working parents that need it.

Vocational Guidance

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of careers (a) advice and (b) support offered by secondary schools.

Robert Halfon: The government is investing over £87 million in 2023/24 in high-quality careers provision for all ages. This includes a grant of up to £29.7 million for The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) to support secondary schools and colleges to improve their careers programmes in line with the government’s careers framework, the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance.The vast majority of secondary schools and colleges are now voluntarily working with the CEC through accessing training for Careers Leaders, joining a Careers Hub, partnering with an Enterprise Adviser (business volunteer) and using Compass/Compass+ digital tools.Over 90% (4,568) of schools and colleges in England are now part of a Careers Hub, benefiting 2.3 million students. 70% (3,520) are partnered with an Enterprise Adviser to support the development of career strategies and employer engagement plans.The department is ensuring parity of esteem for technical and academic options. We strengthened the provider access legislation which came into force in January 2023 and specifies that schools must provide at least six opportunities for providers of technical education and apprenticeships to speak to all pupils, during school years 8 to 13.The department is also putting £3.2 million into the Apprenticeship, Support and Knowledge programme which supports students in years 10 to 13 in schools and colleges, along with their parents/carers and teachers to understand and apply for apprenticeships, T Levels and traineeships.The department’s approach is working with evidence pointing to improved outcomes for young people. Evidence from three cohorts of year 11 leavers (2016/17 – 2018/19) suggests that each of the eight Gatsby Benchmarks achieved reduces the likelihood of any young person being not in education, employment or training, or in an unknown destination by 1.1%. The relationship is twice as strong in the quarter of schools with the most economically disadvantaged intake, as measured by free school meal entitlement.Career readiness grows as young people move through secondary school. In 2021/22, a CEC survey of 34,986 young people shows their career readiness improves as they progress through school, rising from 45% in year 7 to 67% in year 11 and 74% in year 13.

Free School Meals: Bexleyheath and Crayford

Sir David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school students receive free school meals in the Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency.

Nick Gibb: The Department publishes figures on the proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals (FSM). The most recently published figures are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics. In the 2022/23 academic year, 1,557 primary and 1,350 secondary pupils were eligible for FSM in the Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency.

Secondary Education: Teachers

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average staff-to-student ratio was in secondary schools (a) nationally and (b) in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2021 and (iv) 2022.

Nick Gibb: Information on the school workforce, including pupil to adult and pupil to teacher ratios at national, regional and Local Authority level, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.The table below provides the pupil to adult ratio and the pupil to teacher ratio for all state funded schools in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency for academic years 2019/20 to 2022/23.Pupil to adult and pupil to teacher ratios for schools in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency, by academic year 2019/20 to 2022/231Academic yearPupil to adult ratio2,4Pupil to teacher ratio3,42019/2011.718.92020/2111.718.92021/2211.518.72022/2311.118.4 Source: School Workforce Census.1. Workforce data as at November and pupils data as at the following January. For instance, 2019/20 relates to November 2019 workforce and January 2020 pupils.2. Pupil to adult ratio includes teachers and support staff (excluding administrative and auxiliary staff).3. Pupil to teacher ratio includes all teachers.4. The ratios are calculated using pupil numbers taken from the publication, ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.

Climate Change: Education

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to produce a progress report on the implementation of her Department’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy.

Nick Gibb: As committed to in the Department’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, the Department will produce a progress report on the implementation of this strategy.

School Teachers' Review Body

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the publication date of the School Teacher Review Body report on the ability of head teachers to plan their school budgets.

Nick Gibb: As part of the normal pay round process, the independent School Teachers’ Review Body has submitted its report and recommendations to Government on teacher pay for the 2023/24 academic year. The Department is considering the recommendations and will publish its response and the report in due course.Funding for both mainstream schools and high needs, including the additional funding announced in the Autumn Statement, is £3.5 billion higher in the 2023/24 financial year, compared to the 2022/23 financial year. The Department provides these increases to school revenue budgets so that schools can cover cost increases in the year ahead, including to teacher pay.Schools should plan for how teacher pay awards could be managed within this existing funding. It would be sensible for schools to consider the range of possible scenarios on pay that might materialise, and what the implications would be for their individual school.

Special Educational Needs: Finance

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much money has been allocated to local authorities to produce Education, Health and Care plans in each of the last three years.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an estimate of the number of unfunded Education, Health and Care plans for children in England in the last 12 months.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an estimate of the average length of time that an Education, Health and Care plan takes to be drafted for an individual child.

Claire Coutinho: The government continues to support local authorities with their core budgets, which have increased to £59.7 billion for the next financial year. Local authorities have the flexibility to spend according to local needs and priorities, including to undertake Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments.Where an EHC plan is issued by a local authority, the local authority is under a statutory duty to secure the special educational provision set out in the EHC plan. Local areas will have their own arrangements to allocate the funding necessary to secure this provision, using the local authority’s High Needs Budget.High needs revenue funding for children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is increasing to £10.1 billion for the 2023/24 financial year, which is an increase of nearly £1 billion from last year’s allocations and over 50% from the 2019/20 allocations.Every local authority in England will see a minimum per-head increase of 9.8% in their total high needs allocations in 2023/24 compared to 2022/23.The local authority must complete the whole EHC process as soon as practicable, and in any event, within 20 weeks of the local authority receiving a request for an EHC needs assessment, as per The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014.Information on EHC plans is collected as part of the annual Special Education Needs 2 (SEN2) data collection and is published in the ‘Education, Health and Care Plans’ statistical publication, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.The department does not currently hold the average length of time that an EHC plan takes to be drafted for an individual child. To provide this would incur disproportionate cost.

Teachers: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teachers in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency have left the profession in the last (a) one, (b) two and (c) five years.

Nick Gibb: As at November 2022, the latest data available, record numbers of teachers entered the profession now totalling 468,400 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) teachers, of which 63,200 were in the North West and 9,800 were in Lancashire. Since 2010, England has seen over 27,000 more teachers in our schools.Information on the school workforce, including the number of teachers leaving service nationally, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.It is not possible to provide figures by parliamentary constituency. Over this period there has been a net increase in FTE teachers in both Lancashire Local Authority (from 9,179 to 9,788) and in the North West (from 60,926 to 63,247).

Department of Health and Social Care

GP Surgeries and Hospitals: Buildings

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of older buildings on the (a) ventilation and (b) infection, prevention and control measures of hospitals and GP practices that reside within them.

Will Quince: NHS organisations and Primary Care providers regularly review all their estate locally to ensure it meets the required standards for ventilation and infection, prevention and control measures and will invest in improvements where required.Health and social care providers have obligations set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections to undertake steps to keep patients, residents and staff safe.Guidance is provided by NHS England to the NHS in the Health Technical Memorandum (HTM 03-01) Specialised ventilation for healthcare buildings. Additional related guidance was issued on 9 May 2023 on the application of high-efficiency particulate absorbing filter devices for air cleaning in healthcare spaces and the application of ultraviolet devices for air cleaning in occupied healthcare spaces.

NHS: Staff

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that potential increases in the NHS workforce will be accommodated by an expansion and improvement of healthcare buildings.

Will Quince: The estate used to deliver NHS services is planned and designed to provide the highest quality healthcare. Infrastructure strategies are being developed by all NHS providers that will consider their local environment and needs including the NHS workforce.

NHS: Empty Property

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that an assessment is made of the potential social and economic value to local communities of redundant NHS property.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that Hon and Rt Hon. Members are consulted over alternative uses of redundant NHS sites if they have not been disposed of within two years.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing vacant NHS properties to be used by community groups for a peppercorn rent.

Will Quince: All sales of surplus National Health Service properties are required to follow the approach set out in Annex 4.15 of Managing Public Money, available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1153523/Managing_Public_Money_-_May_2023_.pdfNHS organisations decide locally on the use of their land based on their requirements for facilities to support the efficient and effective delivery of their healthcare services. Guidance on this is provided to NHS trusts, including the disposal of surplus land in Health Building Note (HBN) 00-08 “The efficient management of healthcare estates and facilities”.All surplus NHS property is expected to be sold as soon as possible to minimise ongoing running costs and as such there are no plans to introduce peppercorn charging arrangements for community groups to use such facilities.Before any commercial sale takes place, details of NHS surplus land are circulated to public sector organisations, for them to express an interest in acquiring. Outline planning permission is often sought prior to sale to maximise the value of the site realised for reinvestment and achieve best value and this will include an assessment of local planning considerations and public and stakeholder engagement. There are no current plans to establish timebound consultation processes for Honorable and Rt Honorable members concerning the sale of surplus NHS sites; NHS organisations are expected to keep members informed of progress and respond to any queries concerning any site disposal.

GP Surgeries and Hospitals: Disability

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether funding will be made available to help (a) hospitals and (b) GP practices increase their accessibility for people with mobility needs.

Will Quince: We provide operational capital to integrated care boards to prioritise locally, this funding is for the National Health Service to spend on day-to-day needs - including renewal and replacement of equipment, minor building works and ensuring the estate is accessible for people with mobility needs.We provided £4.2 billion in operational capital last year and an additional £8.4 billion over the next two financial years which systems can use to invest in both the hospital & primary care estate.

GP Surgeries and Hospitals: Broadband

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure all hospitals and GP practices have (a) high-speed broadband and (b) the necessary infrastructure to support digital transformation programmes.

Will Quince: In 2019, we set out plans to upgrade internet connection for healthcare settings and we are making progress with this commitment. NHS England, through engagement with NHS trusts and integrated care boards, is expected to achieve 70% gigabit capable connectivity coverage of its circa 20,000 sites across primary and secondary care by 2025, through existing industry roll-out plans and Building Digital UK intervention areas.

NHS: Staff

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish the Long Term Workforce Plan.

Will Quince: The Government has published the Long Term Workforce Plan.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Rosie Duffield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help people who are clinically vulnerable to access a covid-19 booster vaccination.

Maria Caulfield: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is the independent body made up of scientific and clinical experts who advise Government on which authorised vaccines the United Kingdom should use and which groups in the population should be offered initial or further doses of a particular vaccine.The JCVI identified a number of groups in the population at higher clinical risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. These were originally described as clinically vulnerable but are now referred to as people in clinical risk groups. The full list of clinical risk groups is defined in tables three and four of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guide to vaccinators known as the Green Book.The primary aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease, such as hospitalisation and mortality, arising from COVID-19 and risk is strongly linked to age and clinical condition.All those in clinical risk groups will have been offered a COVID-19 vaccine dose in autumn 2022. Earlier this year the Government accepted advice from the JCVI to offer an additional spring 2023 booster dose to those at highest risk in the population from severe COVID-19. This highest risk group includes all adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in a care home for older adults and immunosuppressed individuals aged five years old and over. The JCVI has also advised that there should be a booster campaign targeted to persons at higher risk of severe COVID-19, in autumn 2023. The JCVI is expected to provide advice ahead of autumn on which risk groups should be included.The NHS continues to emphasise the role of clinicians in proactively identifying clinically vulnerable cohorts and are working alongside patient charities and professional bodies to ensure anyone eligible is identified and referred for vaccination. Tailored communications have been developed for specialists caring for each group of eligible patients within the immunosuppressed cohort, such as template referral letters to make it as easy as possible for clinicians to signpost people to get their vaccination. The Government is also working with the NHS and UKHSA to provide advice and information at every possible opportunity to support those getting the vaccine and to anyone who might have questions about the vaccination process.

Lyme Disease: Germany and USA

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of best practice for the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of Lyme disease in the (i) United States and (ii) Germany.

Maria Caulfield: The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.Published research, for example the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, indicates that cellular tests for Lyme borreliosis used by many private laboratories in Europe have a high false positive rate. A copy of the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, is available at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00205-5.)UK Health Security Agency published accompanying guidance documents on Lyme disease in July 2018, which describe the clinical signs and symptoms and are consistent with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. The guidance is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/lyme-disease-management-and-preventionServices for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.

Lyme Disease: Diagnosis

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) capacity and (b) capability of the NHS to diagnose Lyme disease.

Maria Caulfield: The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany.Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.Published research, for example the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, indicates that cellular tests for Lyme borreliosis used by many private laboratories in Europe have a high false positive rate. A copy of the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, is available at the following link:https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00205-5.)UK Health Security Agency published accompanying guidance documents on Lyme disease in July 2018, which describe the clinical signs and symptoms and are consistent with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. The guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/lyme-disease-management-and-preventionServices for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.

NHS: Consultants

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding that 18 per cent of consultant physicians who took part in the Royal College of Physicians Census 2023 reported that they almost never feel in control of their workload.

Will Quince: We are committed to growing and supporting the National Health Service workforce. The Government has published the Long Term Workforce Plan for the NHS. The Plan includes projections for the numbers of doctors, nurses and other professionals that will be needed for the next 15 years, taking full account of improvements in retention and productivity. The plan will help ensure that we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills to transform and deliver high quality services fit for the future.

Bowel Cancer: Screening

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies regional variations in the uptake of the bowel cancer screening programme.

Helen Whately: The national service specifications aim to ensure local providers support their community to take part in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and are monitored by local commissioners. Providers must have systems in place to address inequalities and ensure equity of access for people with protected characteristics if they have a registered general practitioner and identifies and supports people who are considered under-served to access screening.Regionally and nationally several initiatives have been implemented, from targeting bowel cancer screening awareness campaigns on communities with lower uptake to ensuring information is available in easy read formats, British Sign Language and other languages.

Asthma

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people with asthma in (a) England and (b) Gloucestershire; and what assessment he has made of trends in the number of people with asthma in (i) England and (ii) Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities publishes the Interactive Health Atlas of Lung conditions in England profile that includes asthma metrics and compares local areas within England. The profile includes the prevalence of asthma, as collected by the Quality Outcomes Framework, NHS Digital.The main findings for NHS Gloucestershire CCG and England were in 2021/22 there were 46,646 people recorded with asthma in Gloucestershire, 7.3% of the population. In England there were 3,745,077 people recorded with asthma, 6.5% of the population. The percentage of people with asthma in Gloucestershire was higher than for England as a whole. The definition of the asthma registers changed in 2020/21 and earlier years data is not directly comparable. Longer trends cannot be calculated.

Patients: Travel

Karen Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what is the range of rates for transport expenses that can be claimed by patients attending in-centre haemodialysis.

Helen Whately: Data is not held centrally on the range of rates for transport expenses that can be claimed by patients attending in-centre haemodialysis.

Asthma: Death

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who have died as a result of asthma in (a) England and (b) Gloucestershire, in each of the last ten years for which figures are available.

Helen Whately: The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities publishes the Interactive Health Atlas of Lung conditions in England profile that includes asthma metrics and compares local areas within England. The profile includes the mortality rate from asthma.The following table shows the number of deaths for the last 10 years.YearGloucestershire CCGEngland20118982201281,054201381,037201481,0452015121,2212016131,169201791,2362018121,3332019131,2022020101,261

Dementia: Medical Treatments

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to prepare the NHS to use disease-modifying treatments for dementia before their potential approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Helen Whately: NHS England has a proactive national dementia programme in place and is monitoring international trial data with great interest, including studies looking into new ways of more easily diagnosing dementia at an earlier stage.Any decision on the potential scale of testing infrastructure and workforce to support the administration of new treatments will take account numerous factors. This includes the quality of trial evidence to emerge that supports a future licence in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and if it is subsequently determined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to be a clinically and cost-effective NHS treatment option.

Lung Diseases: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to help ensure that Targeted Lung Health Checks are rolled out to all patients.

Helen Whately: We have announced the roll out of the National Targeted Lung Cancer Screening Programme which will build on the Targeted Lung Health Checks. This programme is targeted at current and ex-smokers between the ages of 55 to 74 years old. After an initial risk assessment, those deemed high risk for lung cancer, will be offered a Low Dose CT scan. If the scan finds a suspicious nodule, they will then be referred to hospital, those with non-suspicious nodules will be asked to come back for an earlier CT scan. Those with a clear CT scan will be reinvited every 24 months until they reach 75 years old. This programme will be available to all eligible people by 2030.

Cancer: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access by disabled people to cancer screening; and what information his Department holds on such access.

Helen Whately: NHS England is committed to improving the accessibility of the breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening programmes. Providers of NHS screening services are required to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that their services are accessible to disabled people.The Department and NHS England are working to set out actions to improve accessibility to and uptake of screening including ensuring that Primary Care Networks are provided with primary care data analytics for population segmentation and risk stratification to allow them to understand in depth their populations’ health and care needs for screening programmes. NHS England is supporting a range of research and evaluation to assess the feasibility and acceptability of self-sampling within the NHS Cervical Screening Programme to support an improvement in the accessibility of cervical screening.The breast screening service offers longer appointments at accessible sites to support women with physical disabilities to have a successful screen. Services make reasonable adjustments, within the constraints of equipment, to ensure that disabled people are offered the opportunity to have breast screening.

Cancer: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that cancer screening is fully accessible to those with socioeconomic disadvantage.

Helen Whately: Local NHS services have a duty to ensure that their services are as accessible as possible to their local populations and that any appropriate support is in place. NHS England is working with stakeholders to develop new initiatives to support improvements in coverage and a reduction in health inequalities.This includes delivering the NHS breast cancer screening uptake improvement plan covering a range of initiatives including a pilot for the proactive follow-up of non-attenders and testing how invitations are sent.We are also working with NHS England to run an evaluation to test the effectiveness of HPV self-sampling as a primary cervical screening option. The findings from this evaluation will be used to inform a UK National Screening Committee recommendation and it is expected that self-sampling could lead to an increase in uptake as it will reduce some of the barriers that prevent people from attending screening. Such as the availability of appointments, physical disability and past trauma.

Cancer: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to cancer screening for people from the LGBT+ community.

Helen Whately: Local NHS services have a duty to ensure that their services are as accessible as possible for their local populations and that any appropriate support is in place. An example is the cervical screening programme, which as well as being accessible through general practices is also accessible through sexual health services.In 2021, a national marketing campaign to improve uptake of cervical screening had a key focus on supporting LGBT+ people to come forward. We have developed information for all transgender people to inform them about what screening they are eligible for. This information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-population-screening-information-for-transgender-people/nhs-population-screening-information-for-trans-people

Cancer: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the causes of variations in the level of access to to cancer screening by people of BAME heritage.

Helen Whately: As part of uptake improvement, NHS England has carried out a range of insight work across the three different cancer screening programmes to better understand barriers to coming forward. NHS operational planning guidance 2023/24 supports tackling inequalities with one priority being that health systems are requested to ensure that datasets are timely and complete, with an emphasis on ethnicity coding.Having more complete and timely data on ethnicity will help to more clearly see how interventions are working across different communities. NHS England is committed to addressing health inequalities using the Core20PLUS5 approach which focuses on vulnerable and under-served groups, including ethnic minority communities.

Neurology: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on neurological services in York in each financial year since 2020-21.

Helen Whately: This information is not held in the format requested.

Patients: Transport

Karen Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has taken steps to implement the recommendations of the report entitled Improving non-emergency patient transport services: Report of the non-emergency patient transport review published by the NHS in August 2021.

Helen Whately: NHS England has published updated Patient Transport Service (PTS) eligibility criteria, guidance on the universal offer of transport support for patients attending in-centre haemodialysis, and has shared numerous guidance documents with the system including on commissioning, contracting and core standards, minimum training standards, and national mobility categories.A new national data collection has also been introduced and, allowing for a national and Integrated Care System view of PTS within the NHS, to understand the provider landscape and provide assurance on performance and spend.

Asthma: Health Services

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve care for people suffering from asthma; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of fatalities caused by asthma; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of guidance on asthma care; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: Action on chronic respiratory diseases is crucial as they are the third biggest contributor to Years of Life Lost in England. The Major Conditions Strategy will cover treatment and prevention for chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma. The Strategy will set out a strong and coherent policy agenda that sets out a shift to integrated, whole-person care, building on measures that we have already taken forward through the NHS Long Term Plan. Interventions set out in the Strategy will aim to alleviate pressure on the health system, as well as support the Government’s objective to increase healthy life expectancy and reduce ill-health related labour market inactivity.

Liver Diseases

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the increased risk of developing (a) cardiovascular disease and (b) cancer among people with non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease.

Helen Whately: No specific assessment has been made.

Cystic Fibrosis: Health Services

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to findings in the Cystic Fibrosis Trust report entitled UK Cystic Fibrosis Service Resourcing 2020 to 2022, published in March 2023, on the availability of access to full multidisciplinary teams at cystic fibrosis centres, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that cystic fibrosis centres have fully staffed multidisciplinary teams.

Helen Whately: NHS England’s adult and paediatric cystic fibrosis service specifications sets out national standards for cystic fibrosis services, including guidance on the composition of multi-disciplinary teams.Service specifications are contractual documents between commissioners and providers. However, they do not mandate the number of staff in a multi-disciplinary team, as that is determined by the local trust according to the size of the service and the needs of the patient population.

Radiotherapy

Mrs Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of regional variations in the provision of molecular radiotherapy.

Helen Whately: Molecular radiotherapy is currently commissioned alongside brachytherapy via a national service specification. There are currently 38 trusts in England that are commissioned to deliver these services however, given the spectrum of treatments available under this service specification, there is some variation in what each provider offers.For this reason, NHS England is developing a standalone molecular radiotherapy service specification. This will clarify the service model and review demand and access arrangements. The service specification will also take into account any future developments in treatment technologies and recommendations made by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Heart Diseases: Drugs

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the National Heart Failure Audit published in June 2023, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of reducing the prescription of disease modifying drugs for heart failure in 2021-22 on public health.

Helen Whately: No specific assessment has been made.

Motor Neurone Disease: Leeds

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with (a) Leeds Hospital Charity and (b) Rob Burrow on the creation of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease.

Helen Whately: No discussions have taken place with Leeds Hospital Charity and Rob Burrow on the creation of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease.

Hospices: Children

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the NHS England Children's Hospice grant beyond the 2023-24 financial year.

Helen Whately: NHS England is investing £25 million in the grant this year, to provide care closer to home for those seriously ill as and when they need it. NHS England has now confirmed that it will be renewing the grant for 2024/25, once again allocating £25 million grant funding for children’s hospices. NHS England will confirm the funding mechanism and individual hospice allocations in due course.

Dementia: Diagnosis

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the rate of early diagnosis for dementia.

Helen Whately: In December 2022, the recovery of the dementia diagnosis rate to the national ambition of 66.7% was included in the NHS priorities and operational planning guidance as part of the refined mental health objectives for 2023/24. This reinforces the importance of dementia as a key priority for NHS England and provides a clear direction for integrated care boards to support delivery of timely diagnoses within systems.

Cancer: Health Services

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to help ensure that every cancer patient has a navigator to guide them through their treatment.

Helen Whately: The NHS Long Term Plan states that all cancer patients will have access to the right expertise and support, including a Clinical Nurse Specialist or other support worker such as a cancer navigator, also known as a pathway navigator.The Aspirant Cancer Career Education and Development (ACCEND) Programme, funded by NHS England, aims to establish career pathways and transform education and training for a range of staff groups working in cancer, including navigators.The ACCEND Programme aims to make careers in this area more attractive, while boosting retention and enhancing competencies, supporting the Department’s ambition for a supportive and assistive workforce with the right numbers and right skills to meet the needs of people with cancer.NHS England is also funding new training routes for navigators, including via apprenticeships.

Bowel Cancer: Endoscopy

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to roll out colon capsule endoscopies across the NHS.

Helen Whately: Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE) is currently being offered to low to intermediate risk patients on a lower gastrointestinal urgent cancer pathway and post-polypectomy surveillance patients in 52 sites across England as part of a national pilot.So far, 6,000 CCE’s have been carried out and 70% of patients who have had this procedure have been spared a colonoscopy. An evaluation is running alongside the pilot to assess outcomes, diagnostic accuracy and patient experience. The evaluation will conclude in March 2024 and the resultant paper will inform long-term commissioning in local systems.

Cancer: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to rollout the Cytosponge cancer test.

Helen Whately: Cytosponge enables the detection of Barrett’s Oesophagus, which is a precursor for oesophageal cancer. The Cytosponge test is currently being piloted and evaluated within the NHS through the national cancer programme. There are two programmes being implemented. The first is in secondary care for routine reflux and Barrett’s surveillance. The second is in primary care as proactive case finding.Since 2021, in the secondary care cohort, over 7100 capsules have been swallowed across 37 trusts. The final evaluation report for the secondary care routine reflux cohort will be published in autumn 2023, and results for the Barrett’s surveillance cohort are expected in 2024. In primary care, the pilot is expected to launch in June 2023 and complete in summer/autumn 2024.

Menopause

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188918 on Drugs: Licensing, whether he considers the menopause to be a public health need.

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188918 on Drugs: Licensing, what criteria his Department uses to determine what conditions are a public health need.

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188920 on Drugs: Licensing, whether the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency plans to prioritise applications for new hormone replacement therapy products, in the context of hormone replacement therapy supply shortages.

Will Quince: There are no formal criteria to prioritise applications for medicines because this is reserved for exceptional circumstances, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. As previously stated the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) collaborates with the Department and National Health Service where a condition that currently does not have any currently licensed medicines, or where there are supply issues with currently licensed medicines.There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products available in the United Kingdom and the vast majority are in good supply. MHRA regularly engages with the Department to prevent and mitigate supply issues in the short and long term and works with them to ensure decisions are aligned with the wider health sector’s priorities.

Prescription Drugs: Side Effects

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of prescribed medications that have a known side-effect of weight gain on trends in the level of (a) adult and b) child obesity.

Neil O'Brien: Obesity is a complex public health issue, and the causes are multi-factorial, including biological, physiological, psycho-social, behavioural and environmental factors. These factors can impact upon and make it difficult for people to maintain energy balance and a healthy weight, and therefore impact trends in the level of obesity.No recent assessment has been made, by the Department or the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, on the potential impact of prescribed medications that have a known side-effect of weight gain on trends in obesity.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

David Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on issuing guidance with NHS bodies on Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

Neil O'Brien: The Department has no plans to issue guidance on the treatment of Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

Death

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce excess deaths.

Neil O'Brien: We are taking a number of steps to help reduce excess deaths, including those which involve COVID-19. Vaccines remain the first line of defence. Antivirals and other treatments provide a necessary additional defence by protecting patients who become infected with COVID-19, particularly those for whom the vaccine may be less effective such as the immunosuppressed. We are preparing for variants of COVID-19 and seasonal flu infections with an integrated COVID-19 booster and flu vaccination programme, minimising hospital admissions from both viruses.The NHS has published a delivery plan setting out a clear vision for how the NHS will recover and expand elective services over the next three years. The plan commits the NHS to deliver 9 million additional treatments and diagnostic procedures over the next three years and around 30 per cent more elective activity than it was doing before the pandemic by 2024-25.We are making progress in restoring NHS Health Check delivery, a core part of our cardiovascular disease prevention pathway. Delivery is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by June 2023 and we are creating a national digital NHS Health Check so we can go even further.On 24 January 2023, the Government announced that it will publish a Major Conditions Strategy. The strategy will tackle conditions that contribute most to morbidity and mortality across the population in England including, cancers, cardiovascular disease, including stroke and diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, dementia, mental ill health and musculoskeletal conditions.

HIV Infection: Screening

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending opt out HIV testing to areas of high prevalence as defined by the UK Health Security Agency.

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the results of the first year of opt out HIV testing in areas of very high prevalence as defined by the UK Health Security Agency.

Neil O'Brien: Provisional data from NHS England indicates that the HIV opt-out testing programme has helped find more than 550 cases of undiagnosed or untreated HIV during its first year. We are currently assessing all the evidence from the results of the programme's first year and its contribution to finding cases of undiagnosed or untreated HIV and preventing further HIV transmissions, alongside data on progress towards our ambitions to end new HIV transmissions, AIDS and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030.This data will be used to examine the feasibility of further expanding the programme and we will be sharing evidence as it emerges to support other areas of the country to make the case for implementing the same approach locally. A decision will be made in due course.

Food Banks

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for health policies of the quality of food provided by foodbanks; and whether he plans to provide vouchers for people using foodbanks to purchase healthy foods.

Neil O'Brien: The Department has made no specific assessment and has no current plans to provide vouchers for foodbanks. Through the Healthy Food Schemes the Government provides a nutritional safety net to those families who need it the most. Healthy Start, the Nursery Milk Scheme and the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme together help more than three million children.

Pharmacy

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2023 to Question 188489 on Pharmacy, what his timetable is for implementation of secondary legislation on the hub and spoke model; and whether the legislation will apply to all parts of Great Britain.

Neil O'Brien: We are finalising our response to the consultation and the timetable for bringing forward the implementing of the legislation. The intention is that the legislation will apply in all parts of the United Kingdom, but that will be dependent on the availability of parliamentary time across the four nations.

Cancer

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to reduce waiting times for GP appointments for people with suspected cancer symptoms.

Neil O'Brien: The Government wants to make it easier and quicker for everyone to get the help they need from primary care. The Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care, published on 9 May 2023, describes the implementation of a new Modern general practice access model, which will make it easier for everyone to contact their practice and make sure arrangements for care happen on the same day. This will ensure we move away from a ‘first come, first served’ approach towards a more equitable one that benefits all patients.To help patients navigate the system faster, the plan also includes investment for a new National Care Navigation Training programme for up to 6,500 staff, starting in May 2023. This training programme will upskill these newer roles with a good understanding of local services and the expanded range of practice roles and the customer service skills to effectively direct patients based on their needs.

Addictions: Rehabilitation

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of community recovery services in helping people recover from addiction.

Neil O'Brien: Community addiction recovery services include drug and alcohol treatment. In December 2021 the Government published a ten-year drug strategy which was coupled with an additional £532 million of funding over the three-year spending review period between, 2022/23, to 2024/25, for drug and alcohol treatment services. Evaluations assessing the delivery, impact, and value for money of these treatment and recovery programmes will be completed by Autumn 2025.

Dental Services: Children

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the average frequency with which children visit dentists in (a) York Central constituency and (b) the UK.

Neil O'Brien: The requested information in respect of England is not held centrally. State-funded healthcare within the United Kingdom but outside of England is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the devolved Governments.

Dental Services: Inspections

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing Dental Reference Officers.

Neil O'Brien: There are no current plans to make an assessment.

Treasury

Pensions: British National (Overseas)

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of sending personal details and tax information of holders of British National (Overseas) passports to Hong Kong authorities on those passport holders' ability to access their pensions.

Victoria Atkins: The information shared with the Hong Kong tax authority is financial account information of Hong Kong tax residents – which does not include holders of British National (Overseas) passports who are tax resident in the UK – and can only be used for taxation purposes. The information is shared as part of our international treaty obligations under the OECD’s Common Reporting Standard to help tackle tax evasion and non-compliance. The information exchanged is subject to stringent data security and confidentiality standards, which are rigorously assessed by independent experts appointed by the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. In addition, where individuals have concerns, they or their financial institutions can ask HMRC to redact their information from being exchanged on human rights grounds. Guidance on how to do this has recently been updated on GOV.UK website here: Automatic Exchange of Information if you have an account - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge

Martyn Day: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Office for Tax Simplification paper entitled High Income Child Benefit Charge, published in March 2022, what steps his Department is taking to improve awareness of the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

Martyn Day: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people HMRC contacted during tax years (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23 to advise that they may be liable to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

Victoria Atkins: The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) is a tax charge which was introduced in 2013 for recipients of Child Benefit payments on higher incomes. The HICBC applies to Child Benefit recipients who have, or whose partner has, an adjusted net income of £50,000.The Government is grateful to the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) for their suggestions for how the individual’s experience of child benefit and the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) could be improved. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has taken considerable steps to raise awareness of the HICBC. They share information via social media, through third parties such as websites aimed at parents or families, and on GOV.UK. Information about the High Income Child Benefit Charge is on the front page of the Child Benefit claim form and explains how the charge works, including the importance of claiming to ensure receipt of National Insurance credits even if opting out of payments. HMRC also write to around 70,000 customers each year to remind them what they need to do to pay the HICBC. The latest information on how many people HMRC contact to advise that they may be liable to pay the HICBC is published here: High Income Child Benefit Charge - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Disability Strategy, published on 28 July 2021, which of his Department’s commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.

Alex Burghart: I refer the Hon lady to my answer 189783 on 23rd June 2023.

Civil Service: Artificial Intelligence

Paula Barker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of the use of artificial intelligence on future levels of employment in the civil service.

Alex Burghart: The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), in the Cabinet Office, is working with departments to understand the full potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation and service optimisation. In June 2022 as part of the Government Roadmap for Digital and Data, the government published our commitment to “systematically identify and capture opportunities arising from emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and quantum computing”. CDDO has convened external experts and digital leaders across government to rapidly respond to developments in this area. CDDO is working with departments to establish the frameworks and policies to guide the responsible adoption of new technologies, including AI, and is already working with departments to realise opportunities in service delivery and optimisation. We are working to build a greater understanding of the potential impact of AI on Government work and efficiency which will further enhance our ability to plan future levels of employment in the civil service. Individual departments, within their own delegated authority, will be the ultimate decision maker as to the impact AI (or any other technology) has on their own levels of employment.

Blood: Contamination

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent steps his Department has taken to appoint the Chair of the infected blood compensation arms length body.

Jeremy Quin: The Government has not yet taken a decision on accepting the recommendations of the Inquiry’s second interim report and will continue to update Parliament in due course on this matter.

Prime Minister: Furniture

Paula Barker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the cost to the public purse of lecterns used by each Prime Minister since 7 May 2015.

Alex Burghart: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to the Hon Member for Warwick and Leamington on 2 November 2022 (UIN 73117).

Blood: Contamination

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to provide public funding for legal representation for people making infected blood compensation claims.

Jeremy Quin: The Government has accepted the moral case for compensation. The details of how a compensation scheme would be delivered, including whether public funding would be provided for legal representation, is yet to be determined.

Blood: Contamination

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many ongoing contaminated blood cases there are in each parliamentary constituency.

Jeremy Quin: There is no readily available data on the number of cases of infected blood in each parliamentary constituency. The Infected Blood Inquiry published a report from its Statistical Expert Group in September 2022, which provides findings on the numbers of infections with HIV, Hepatitis C virus, Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) disease and Hepatitis B. This is a useful insight into the scope of this tragedy and highlights the uncertainty associated with determining the figures of those infected.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Taiwan: Foreign Relations

Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with representatives of the Government of Taiwan in each of the last five years.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, underpinned by shared democratic values. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has had discussions with representatives of the Taiwan administration in years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

World Bank: Agriculture

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development entitled Sowing the Seeds of Poverty: How the World Bank Harms Poor Farmers, published on 26 April 2023.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: We are aware of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development report. The World Bank does not have a policy in place that restricts farmers in choosing their seeds. The Bank advocates the use of quality seeds and has helped protect farmers, local production, and food security in developing countries. An efficient national agricultural innovation system and an effective seed certification system is essential to meet the challenges agriculture faces in developing countries. The UK is supporting this longer-term goal to do both, boost food security, incomes, and climate adaptation and resilience. The World Bank has committed to full alignment of all its sovereign lending with the Paris Agreement by 1 July 2023. We are holding the Bank to account through the Board.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Artificial Intelligence

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to take steps to regulate (a) the use of and (b) research into artificial intelligence.

Paul Scully: The Government is taking a number of steps to support responsible research and promote ethical practices in the AI industry. The AI Regulation White Paper sets out 5 cross-sector principles which will guide and inform the responsible development of AI. In addition, this Government has allocated £2 million for the development of regulatory sandboxes for businesses to make it easier for them to navigate the regulatory landscape so they can bring innovative products to market whilst doing so in line with our principles. The consultation closed on 21 June and the Government will provide a response in due course.£8.5 million funding has been made available via the Arts and Humanities Research Council in June 2022 June for ‘Enabling a Responsible AI Ecosystem’, the first major academic research programme on AI ethics and regulation of this scale. This is complemented by the £117 million investment secured this year for new UKRI Centres for Doctoral Training – on top of £100 million for existing Centres funded in 2019 – which include ethics and social responsibility courses for the PhD candidates they train.Announced in April this year, the Government is also establishing a Foundation Model Taskforce with £100 million start-up funding to ensure sovereign capabilities and broad adoption of safe and reliable foundation models. The Taskforce will focus on opportunities to establish the UK as a world leader in foundation models and their applications across the economy, and acting as a global standard bearer for AI safety.

Semiconductors: Skilled Workers

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to section 7.4 on Skills and talent in the National Semiconductor Strategy, published by her Department on 19 May 2023, what her expected timescale is for a reduction in shortages of people with the skills required for operator and technician-level positions; and what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on ensuring that (a) vocational, (b) graduate and (c) post-graduate courses help to reduce skills gaps in the semiconductor industry.

Paul Scully: The Government’s new National Semiconductor Strategy recognises that skills are a fundamental building block underpinning the semiconductor sector at every stage from research, development, and innovation, through to commercialisation and industrial scale up.That’s why the Government is taking action to make the UK talent pool stronger and more dynamic, supplying industry across all regions of the UK. From apprentices to PhD graduates, we are focussed on ensuring the UK has the right people with the right skills for the job.Our approach to skills within the Strategy comes broadly in two parts: first, our investment in schools and teachers, as well as career advice and outreach programmes to inspire the next generation, and to nurture the higher education sector. Second, we will promote industry-led learning to ensure a robust pipeline of talent that meets their needs.The Government has already supported over 450 PhD students since 2017 to begin semiconductor related research. And we will continue to provide support to Centres for Doctoral Training to help produce the next generation of internationally recognised doctoral researchers.We will also ensure that occupational standards for apprenticeships, higher technical qualifications (HTQs) and T-Levels meet the specific requirements of the semiconductor industry.In addition, we are supporting the Department for Education’s Institute of Technology programme which has been backed by £300 million of government capital investment. We are encouraging more employers who serve the semiconductor industry to engage with the Institute of Technology programme to ensure that the sector’s specialisms are better served through this novel education delivery mechanism.Getting our approach right on skills is a cross-government effort. We will continue to work with the Department of Education, industry partners and wider stakeholders on this agenda as we progress the commitments within the Strategy.

Artificial Intelligence: Research

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of the open letter asking industry leaders to pause artificial intelligence research, published by the Future of Life Institute on 22 March 2023.

Paul Scully: It is important that industry voices are actively engaged in the discourse around responsible AI. British based companies, like Deepmind, are at the forefront of responsible innovation. However, it should be noted that questions have been raised regarding the veracity of some of the signatures of the open letter on Artificial Intelligence published by the Future of Life Institute (FLI). Some of the researchers whose work was cited in the letter have also apparently raised concerns. It is also important to note that the letter is not expressly targeted towards the UK or any other government.Government recognises the need to act to adapt the way in which we regulate AI as systems become more powerful, and are put to different use. As Sir Patrick Vallance highlighted in his regulatory review, there is a small window of opportunity to get this right and build a regulatory regime that enables innovation while addressing the risks. Government agrees that a collaborative approach is fundamental to addressing AI risk and supporting responsible AI development and use for the benefit of society. The AI regulation white paper we published on 29 March identifies “trustworthy”, “proportionate” and “collaborative” as key characteristics of the proposed AI regulation framework.The AI regulation white paper sets out principles for the responsible development of AI in the UK. These principles such as safety, fairness, and accountability are at the very heart of our approach to ensuring the responsible development and use of AI. We will also establish a central risk function to bring together cutting-edge knowledge from industry, regulators, academia and civil society – including skilled computer scientists with a deep technical understanding of AI – to monitor future risks and adapt our approach if necessary. This is aligned with the calls to action in FLI’s letter.In addition, our Foundation Model Taskforce has been established to strengthen UK capability – in a way that is aligned with the UK’s values – as this potentially transformative technology develops.The approach to AI regulation outlined in the AI regulation White Paper is also complemented by parallel work on AI Standards, supported by the AI Standards Hub launched in October 2022, and via the Centre for Data Ethics and Innvovation’s AI Assurance Roadmap, published in December 2021. In concert, our holistic approach to AI governance combining regulation with an approach to standards development and AI assurance is in line with efforts to develop shared safety protocols, and will at the same time allow the UK to benefit from AI technologies while protecting people and our fundamental values.

Mathematics: Research

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Government plans to invest £300 million in mathematical sciences.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what sums (a) the Government and (b) UK Research and Innovation have contributed to mathematical sciences research in each of the last five financial years.

George Freeman: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council funds Mathematical Sciences from its core budget, typically spending around £25-30 million per annum. They have also committed a further £124 million which will spend out to 2028-29 as part of the Additional Funding Programme for Mathematic Sciences commitment. Overall, over the last five years UKRI has funded around £60m per annum in mathematical sciences up to FY2020/21. In 2021/22 this figure was around £80 million due to the additional funding for the mathematical sciences programme. Data for more recent years is not yet available for across all of UKRI.

Kidney Diseases

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to increase funding for research into kidney disease.

George Freeman: Through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), DSIT is responsible for biomedical and biological research, whilst DHSC is responsible for the NIHR, focused on health and health care system research. UKRI funds research into the detection, prevention, treatment and underpinning biology of kidney disease, allocated primarily through the Medical Research Council (MRC). Over the period of 2019/20 to 2021/22, MRC has invested over £20 million in funding and support for kidney disease research with £7.7 million in 2019/20, £7.8 million in 2020/21 and £6.7 million in 2021/22. UKRI funds research and innovation on a competitive basis, with individual applications being assessed by independent experts. In general, funding is not ring-fenced for specific conditions, and so an estimate for future spend on kidney disease research is unavailable.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Energy: Social Tariffs

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work of 20 June 2023 on Cost of Living Support, whether he plans to publish details of his Department's consultations on the potential merits of social tariffs on energy.

Amanda Solloway: As set out in the autumn statement, we are exploring the best approach to consumer protection from April 2024, as part of wider retail market reforms. Up to then, in response to higher prices, we have put in place the Energy Price Guarantee and provided significant additional support to help those who need it most through this winter and into 2023-24.

Energy: Social Tariffs

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work of 20 June 2023 on Cost of Living Support, when his Department plans to complete its analysis of the potential merits of social tariffs on energy.

Amanda Solloway: As set out in the autumn statement, we are exploring the best approach to consumer protection from April 2024, as part of wider retail market reforms. As part of this work, officials are discussing options with and assessing evidence from stakeholders, including disability organisations.

Energy: Social Tariffs

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work of 20 June 2023 on Cost of Living Support, what discussions he has had with disabled (a) people and (b) organisations on the potential merits of social tariffs on energy.

Amanda Solloway: As set out in the autumn statement, the Government is exploring the best approach to consumer protection from April 2024, as part of wider retail market reforms. As part of this work, officials have had discussions with disability organisations, including Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Carer’s Trust, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Citizen’s Advice, Fair by Design, Leonard Cheshire, Leukaemia Care, Parkinson’s UK and SCOPE. Minister Solloway has also met with disability organisations.

Drax Power Station

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the potential cost to (a) consumers and (b) taxpayers of bringing two coal-fired units at Drax North Yorkshire plant out of retirement this winter.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the impact of Drax bringing two coal-fired units out of retirement this winter on (a) emissions and (b) delivery of the UK’s carbon budgets.

Graham Stuart: Earlier this year, I asked National Grid: Electricity System Operator to explore the possibility and need of retaining the Drax owned coal-fired electricity generation for winter 2023/24 to bolster security of supply. However, the units will not operate this winter. Use of the contracts would not have had an impact on the carbon budget as it assumes coal-power generation until 2025. Potential emissions were considered, but the impact was assessed as low as the coal units would only generate in an emergency. Last year, all coal contingency units generated for just 12.6 hours in total.

Northern Ireland Office

Nurses: Industrial Disputes

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with trade unions in Northern Ireland on nursing strikes.

Mr Steve Baker: The UK Government has no authority to negotiate pay in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has met twice with representatives of health trade unions in Northern Ireland, at their request, to discuss the NI budget 2023-24 and the recent pay offer for Agenda for Change staff in England.

Northern Ireland Office: Vodafone Group

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the merger between Three and Vodafone on her Department's contracts with Vodafone.

Mr Steve Baker: As an open economy, this Government welcomes and encourages investment where it supports the Prime Minister’s goal of boosting UK growth and jobs, meets our stringent legal and regulatory requirements, and does not compromise our national security. The Government has robust powers under the National Security & Investment Act, which it introduced, to block or impose remedies on transactions that pose a national security risk. We cannot comment on specific acquisitions nor the applicability of the National Security and Investment regime. It is the responsibility of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to assess the impact on consumers and competition in the market, with input from sectoral regulators. The Investment Security Unit works closely with the Competition and Markets Authority on cases that are being considered for both national security and competition reasons. A memorandum of understanding has been agreed between the Investment Security Unit and the CMA to assist joint working. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/operation-of-the-national-security-and-investment-act-2021-memorandum-of-understanding/mou-between-beis-and-the-cma-on-the-operation-of-the-national-security-and-investment-act-2021

Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland: Correspondence

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the time taken for the Police Ombudsman to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for East Londonderry on the case of David Caldwell in 2002.

Mr Steve Baker: The work of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is an important part of providing confidence in policing through an independent mechanism for investigating police complaints in Northern Ireland. The Ombudsman rightly operates independently from the Government. It would therefore not be appropriate to comment on a specific case, nor on the conduct of investigations.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Entertainments: Disease Control and Emergencies

Paula Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has in place to support the entertainment industry in a (a) national emergency and (b) pandemic.

Sir John Whittingdale: Responses to national emergencies and pandemics are led by the Cabinet Office, and the UK has well-developed contingency plans to respond to a wide range of scenarios.The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) co-ordinated unprecedented levels of support for the cultural and creative sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to the Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme, and the Culture Recovery Fund. Evaluations and lessons learned from these schemes will allow the UK to respond effectively to any future scenario where similar initiatives may be required.Following our experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, DCMS has established a small, permanent incident response team which will coordinate across the Department and with the central response team in the event of a national emergency.

Arts: Disability

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188843, how many (a) children and (b) young people with a disability engaged with the arts in (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22 and (c) 2022-23.

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188843 on Culture: Children and Young People, whether her Department is continuing to collect data on access to arts and culture for children and young people with a disability.

Sir John Whittingdale: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) does not hold data for the years requested. For the year 2020/21, this is due to DCMS's Taking Part Survey (which previously collected engagement data for children and young people) being disrupted by the pandemic and the ability to carry out face-to-face fieldwork.In 2021, the Taking Part Survey was replaced by DCMS’s Participation Survey. This captures participation data for people aged 16 and over in England, and also asks respondents if they have a long-standing illness or disability.The individual data set for 2021/22 does not allow us to investigate arts participation by age and disability; only by age or disability. Participation Survey data for 2022/23 have not yet been published. Publication is scheduled for 9.30 a.m. on 20 July.DCMS is currently undertaking a pilot survey for young people aged between 10 and 19, which should allow us to look at access to some cultural activities for children and young people with a disability. We will publish data on this pilot survey later this year, and will review the utility and impact of the survey before a decision is made on whether and how to continue it following that pilot phase.